AAWT between Hotham, Omeo Hwy, and Thredbo

[bigkev]

Hi PVC
I'm using tablets to treat the water, but to be honest I go on gut feeling a fair bit - if I'm dubious about the quality I chuck a pill in in - so any tummy bugs are my own fault
I'm all good though, it's definitely not guadia.
Cheers

[gbedford]

concerning water I have been drinking the water in the Australian Alps, Tasmania and elsewhere for more than 40 years. I have only occasionally treated or boiled it. Never suffered from any gastrointestinal problems. Good judgement (gut feeling) is the key. Running water downstream of good bush or a spring. For instance I have drunk water all the way from Walhalla to Kosi in midsummer and we only treated the water from the tank at Barry Saddle. People have been sold a message that natural water is unsafe to drink. At Wilson's Prom I see all these people filtering or treating their water because of the Parks little signs. Those untreated water, don't drink signs are there only to protect the Vic Parks from litigation.
Nothing has changed with the water there in the 40 years I have been drinking it.

Mind you I am mindful that as the number people increases and the chance of human contamination increases and I make an error of judgement the chance of me catching an unwelcome bug could happen. But then that is a risk I am prepared to take.

[Xplora]

And it happened to someone near Rumpf saddle recently. see viewtopic.php?f=64&t=26600&p=337101&hilit=giardia#p337101
It is very much a personal choice but it can have an affect on the rest of the group. There are a number of threads here which discuss these issues but in the end it comes down to what you choose to do for yourself should not determine what others should or should not do for themselves. Setting off on a 6 week journey takes a great deal of planning and effort before the first foot is planted and to be cut short because of something which was entirely preventable would be a bit of a bummer.

[GBW]

How can you tell it's giardia from the water and not some other bug like Salmonella, E. coli or Staphylococcus caused by contaminated food or bad hygiene? Don't symptoms of giardia usually appear between 7 and 10 days after infection?

[Xplora]

How can you tell it's giardia from the water and not some other bug like Salmonella, E. coli or Staphylococcus caused by contaminated food or bad hygiene? Don't symptoms of giardia usually appear between 7 and 10 days after infection?

3 to 25 days, usually 7 to 10 so finding the source on a walk could be difficult. Other Gastro bugs such as Salmonella and E Coli will show similar symptoms at the start but they usually subside sooner. I would agree that diagnosis in the field would be difficult but if all ate the same food then I would suggest that would not be the cause. Poor hygiene possible as well. E coli is also found in water. Most other gastro bugs incubate quicker so finding the source is easier. I would not suggest water is the cause every time but it is an easily preventable risk and given the 6 week journey in remote wilderness, treating water is one way of ensuring your trip is not cut short. I also feel it is not the right thing for anyone to tell others any water is safe to drink without treating. People have to work that out or take that risk for themselves. I have taken the risk many times myself however my partner, who has had severe giardia before, is more inclined to treat water. Perhaps my immune response is better and maybe I have an acquired immunity.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I got severe Giardia in Pakistan. It was so tough that it still would not budge when I got back to Ozstriya .I lost a lot of weight and felt ill for months . I had to be prodded and poked from both ends before the verdict was handed out by a specialist. I am now better equipped with a pump up water filter. When trekking in NW India I always have FLAGYLL tablets and NOROXCIN pills handy . In India you can get both of these agents combined in one pill over the counter from even remote small village chemist stores in the Middle Himalaya.

[bigkev]

Hi Guys. Gee I opened a can of worms mentioning that I got a bit crook in the guts for a couple of days. The thing that I was trying to highlight was the fact that there are a lot of horses running around on this section and quite frankly they are making a mess of the water ways - so be careful.

I also forgot to mention that there is a short cut that heads over the end of a spur around where Kangaroo Trk meets Big River Trk - it's marked as the AAWT but just stay on Big River Trk as the short cut is infested with Blackberries and regrowth.

The other issue that I forgot to mention was mentioned by some others - the section of the AAWT that parallels Mt Hope Road isn't marked and the pad is non existent, unless you want to scrub bash just for the sake of it then stay on Mt Hope Road.

Cheers

[Xplora]

The annoying half km of the Long Spur between Mulhauser spur track and the Long Spur 4wd track has been cleared recently so there are no bushes rubbing or closing over the track. On the lower section of the Long Spur near Big River Log road there are still a number of good springs flowing and the water tank at Mt. Wills hut is full.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I am going to Mulhauser spur and Mt. Wills soon

[Xplora]

I am going to Mulhauser spur and Mt. Wills soon

Take a chainsaw or roll the dice. First tree down on Big River Log road was a big one and that was before we were one km in. The second not so. Mulhauser can be the same. Big River log road was only graded and cleared last week up to the logging coupe. No phone service so it will be a long walk out. But you may be lucky.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I went to Mt. Wills. The tank is flowing well. I slept well inside the hut on Sunday night( 14.1.18). I didn't make it to Mulhauser spur etc.I will have a chain saw by the time I get a chance to visit there next time.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

Ubi. Steve is clearing the Long Spur walking route all the way down to the last point a 4 WD can approach it from Big River Saddle. He expects to have this task completed before the end of Feb.2018.

[Xplora]

Ubi. Steve is clearing the Long Spur walking route all the way down to the last point a 4 WD can approach it from Big River Saddle. He expects to have this task completed before the end of Feb.2018.

I heard DELWP were planning to put a flail mower attached to an excavator on the vehicle track some time soon. Perhaps someone should tell them not to bother before they go to all the trouble and expense of getting the machine out there. They may even run into each other if he is still going for a couple of weeks. The vehicle track is not a problem for walkers but the scrub will scratch up your car.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

I just walked the Mulhauser Spur to Maddison Hut Ruins section and back over the March Long weekend. Sections of the Long Spur /AAWT are overgrown and require pushing through head high scrub where you cannot see your feet. Other sections have fallen timber and walkers have forged new paths around the said logs.
I am not convinced that carrying a heavy pack with XC skis strapped to the sides would be worthwhile at present. As good as the terrain at Camp Valley is for green to blue run level XC skiers the effort of getting there and slogging it through scrub that will be coated in snow and ice and wriggling around fallen logs with LONG skis bashing against them is a disincentive for a winter trip via this route.
It is very scenic and far less used than other routes to Mt. Bogong. It is overall less torturous than The Staircase and The Eskdale spurs are. The T for T torture spur is no laughs either.

[Lophophaps]

Long Spur 4WD section is clear of fallen timber (Steve I believe) and the foot track has now been slashed back in nearly all places (probably PV). Much easier. There's a small creek just west of Big River Saddle, and another just west of the bottom of Long Spur 4WD. Both of these look like they would run most of the year, albeit slowly. It would not take much effort to make a small dam across the creek and have a pipe, thus avoiding the braided water that is present now.